Lucas Herbert equals 43-year-old Open Championship record with stunning 28 at Royal Birkdale (via Getty)Australian golfer Lucas Herbert produced one of the finest front-nine performances in Open Championship history during the second round at Royal Birkdale. The LIV Golf star carded a remarkable six-under-par 28 on Friday morning, matching a record that had stood alone for more than four decades.The brilliant start helped Herbert move into the outright lead and put himself firmly in contention for the Claret Jug. His round quickly became one of the biggest talking points of the tournament as he equalled Denis Durnian’s historic front-nine score, set at the same venue in 1983.Lucas Herbert’s record-tying front nine sparks Open Championship 2026 chargeLucas Herbert entered the second round at even-par after opening with a level-par 70. Starting the day five shots behind the leaders, the 30-year-old Australian wasted no time climbing the leaderboard.Herbert began with three consecutive birdies. He rolled in a 16-foot putt at the first hole before making another birdie from around 15 feet at the par-five second. He completed the hat-trick with a five-foot birdie putt on the third.His excellent form continued at the fifth hole. Herbert drove the ball close to the green and successfully got up and down for another birdie. At the par-three seventh, he thrilled spectators by sinking a long birdie putt from approximately 35 feet. Reports also described the putt as an impressive double-breaking effort that highlighted his outstanding touch on the greens.The final birdie of his front nine came at the ninth hole. After missing the green in regulation for the first time during the round, Herbert calmly holed a lengthy putt from off the green to finish the opening nine holes in just 28 strokes.That remarkable score matched the lowest front-nine total ever recorded at The Open Championship. Denis Durnian, an English club professional, first achieved the feat at Royal Birkdale during the 1983 championship. Durnian narrowly missed an opportunity to shoot an even lower 27 after failing to convert a birdie chance on the ninth hole.Herbert also joined extremely exclusive company in major championship history. Only Brad Faxon had previously recorded a 28 in a men’s major championship, achieving the milestone during the final round of the 1995 PGA Championship at Riviera Country Club.Royal Birkdale has witnessed several memorable performances over the years. In 2017, South African golfer Branden Grace made history by recording the lowest single-round score in Open Championship history with an incredible 62.Ranked No. 97 in the Official World Golf Ranking entering the tournament, Herbert has enjoyed an encouraging season. Earlier this year, he claimed victory at LIV Golf Virginia but struggled in his most recent major appearance after missing the cut at the U.S. Open.The Victorian has competed in five previous Open Championships since making his debut in 2018. He has reached the weekend twice, with his best result coming in 2022 when he finished tied for 15th. That year, fellow Australian Cameron Smith lifted the Claret Jug.